Israeli police fired stun grenades to disperse Palestinian worshippers who had hurled rocks and firebombs at them after Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, situated on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City, police said.

Dozens of officers entered the politically sensitive area, one of Islam's holiest sites to break up several hundred protesters.

A number of policemen were lightly hurt, a police spokesman said, and Palestinian media said at least 15 protesters were injured.

A surge in violence in the West Bank over the past several weeks has raised concern in Israel that a new Palestinian uprising could erupt.

Tension is rising before a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to Jerusalem and Ramallah at the end of the month and the possible resumption of peace talks that have been stalled since 2010.

Clashes were also expected in the West Bank at the funeral of a Palestinian who died of his wounds on Thursday after being shot by Israeli soldiers during a confrontation with stone-throwers two weeks ago.

The violence has focused around the plight of Palestinians held in Israeli jails but it largely subsided last week after Israel agreed to release two hunger-striking inmates in May and they ended their protest.

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I wonder if this is being staged for the people. Those who stage such
uprisings are doing the work for their rulers. If anyone wants to grab
such a holy place I am sure he needs permission. If muslims want to pray
here I don't think jews or christians will mind that everyone wants to
worship the same God.

I'm pretty sure the Vatican isn't mentioned in the Christian Bible. But
that doesn't make it any less "holly" for Catholics. No Muslim
will ever be able to convince anyone that Jerusalem is not holy to Jews
or Christians. And no Jew will ever be able to convince anyone that
Jerusalem is not also holy to Muslims and Christians. So give it up,
Sten, and focus on the real issues, like how to share a city holy to
three faiths and inhabited by two peoples.

that was prior to 1948... we are talking today... who is more powerful
today? Might is right, at least that is what has been accepted for the
Israeli-Pal issue. You have anything else to Say? if not then accept it,
life will be easier.

I'm pretty sure the Vatican isn't mentioned in the Christian Bible. But
that doesn't make it any less "holly" for Catholics. No Muslim
will ever be able to convince anyone that Jerusalem is not holy to Jews
or Christians. And no Jew will ever be able to convince anyone that
Jerusalem is not also holy to Muslims and Christians. So give it up,
Sten, and focus on the real issues, like how to share a city holy to
three faiths and inhabited by two peoples.

100% right! Descending into history and religion is a recipe for
paralysis. Israel and the Pals need to be forward looking. Any sort of
peace in the area would result in an incredible boom and improve the
lives of all who buy into the peace. Its ridiculous that the parties
can't move forward towards peace, security and normalcy.

And what about those Jews who say that it is incumbent upon them to have
"Judea and Samaria" as part of Israel because it is written in
the bible that this is what God ordained. Or how about those Jews who
choose to do nothing but study ancient texts and believe that Israel
should be governed according to ancient religious law and not by modern
precepts - and so on. Israel also has its religious fundamentalists as
does Islam, Israel also has its more pragmatic believers and secularists
as does Islam. If you have decided to perceive all Muslims as being
identical, that is that none of them take a more modern approach to
Islam, you cannot complain if others perceive all Jews as being akin to
Jewish fundamentalists. In that case if Islam has not evolved but in
your opinion Jewish belief has, is it fair to say that Jewish
fundamentalists are causing it to regress?

The Temple Mount is equally holy to all people. it is THE Holiest place
on earth according to Judaism alone. The Kaaba in mecca is the central
place of worship according to Islam. That is the reality of the
situation. here is a hypothetical question. Imagine if the muslims along
time ago were kicked out of mecca by romans and the kaaba was destroyed.
then many years later jews came and built a synagogue on the ruins of
the kaaba and tried to claim it as their own holy site, while denying
any muslim connection to the place. do you think that when the muslims
finally returned from their exile they would except that? would that be
fair to them? people need to understand the significance of the temple
mount in jerusalem. every synagogue in the world is a substitute for the
temples which were destroyed on the temple mount. their is no
alternative. it is central to judaism.

So long as Muslims consider that it is their religious duty to attack
Jews, there will not be peace. Iran and Saudi Arabia sponsor and fund
the attacks, citing Allah as their inspiration. Mullahs call for
"death to the Jews" and Muslim leaders call for Jihad in
Jerusalem. It is time for Israel to bring all of this activity to a
halt. Israel should plant explosives around the Al Aqsa Mosque, and
announce that any further attacks on Israel will result in the
demolition of the mosque. Then, let the sponsors and funders of the
attacks on Israel decide if they want to bring about the destruction of
the Mosque. If they do, and the Mosque is destroyed, the hostility
toward Israel will be no greater than it already is. If they don't,
then the attacks on Israel will stop.

Simpler although more expensive would be to move it srtone by stone,
retaining those stones taken from the Holy Temple. That clears the area
for any needed excavation followed by preparation at least for the
construction of the Third Temple when the time is right.

So long as Jews see it as their religious duty to encompass what they
call Judea and Samaria into Israel there will not be peace. The Israeli
government finances these illegal settlements and the settlers cite
Hashem as their inspiration. Some call for "death to the
Muslims" and lead attacks on Palestinian villages. Maybe it is
time for Palestinians to bring all of this activity to a halt. They
should plant explosives round the Western Wall, Rachels' Tomb and other
holy sites and announce that any further illegal settlements on their
land will result in the demolition of these holy sites. Then let the
settlers and the their backers, the Israeli government, decide if they
want to bring about the destruction of these sites. Why have I
re-written much of your post but substituted Palestinian for Jew and
vice versa? To show hate-filled extremists on both sides that really
there is little to choose between them, that that both sides have done
wrong, both sides have suffered wrong and both sides lack the capacity
to feel any emotion but hatred. Of course in practice I know it is far
harder for Palestinians to fight against the occupation than it is for
Israel to go on stealing Palestinian lands but fortunately there are
still Jews and Zionists who seek a just and viable 2-state resolution
and have not become corrupted by conquest.

This is just another incident of Israel's incitement to violence and
then blaming the Palestinian. Disgusting, but then again, the values of
cunning and deceit are highly valued which is a pity. If Jerusalem/Al
Quds was administered as an international zone per the UNGA 181 (as
accepted in the Declaration of Independence) it would be so much better
for everyone. The problems arise when one religion tries to have
exclusive control over it. Time to let go and let everyone share and
enjoy it.

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